Category: Blog Post

Steeplechase Apartments—a part of Regency Consolidated Residential LLC— are renovating their 238 units this spring. The renovations began in April.

The apartment complex is charitably donating a number of items from the apartments to Habitat ReStore. Articles included in the contribution will be: refrigerators, ovens, washers, dryers and cabinets. According to Marc Papier, ReStore Manager, the items are in excellent condition and will provide substantial revenue to support Habitat for Humanity’s mission in Monroe County. This partnership with Steeplechase is incredibly exciting for Habitat and will make an extraordinary impact in our community. Proceeds from the sale of these items will be recycled back into Habitat’s mission.

Items from the Steeplechase apartment renovation began to hit the ReStore sales floor at the end of April. Shoppers can expect to find these items at the ReStore throughout the remainder of the year.

Construction began March 31 on the ReStore sponsored home that will be purchased by the Borjas Garcia family. Join us on Saturday, July 22 at 4:00 for the dedication of the family’s future home! More details can be found HERE.

ReStore is working hard to sponsor two homes for future Habitat homeowners in 2017. This donation from Steeplechase will serve as a critical bridge to help ReStore meet this goal.

We are incredibly grateful to Steeplechase for partnering with Habitat ReStore!

2017 CommUNITY Interfaith BUILD: Join us for an experience designed to bring the commUNITY together!

JULY 13 UPDATE: Don’t miss out on an exciting, limited-time offer to be a part of CommUNITY Interfaith BUILD history! The first 25 people who donate $50 or more to our efforts will earn a coveted UNITY BUILD 2017 T-shirt! Visit our secure fundraising website here to make your contribution today: communitybuild.kintera.org

MAY 1 UPDATE: Now that spring is in the air, we are hoping you will help us CLOSE the GAP!

We are currently 62% of the way towards our fundraising goal. It’s not too late to be part of our CommUNITY Interfaith BUILD’s sponsorship of the Diaz family‘s future home!

Make a secure on-line donation HEREto support the CommUNITY Interfaith BUILD!

And, you and your congregation are invited to our Youth UNITY Build Day on Saturday, June 10!

On March 31, April 1 and April 2 volunteers and donors as part of “commUNITY” groups framed-up a home for a hard-working Monroe County family. The site for UNITY BUILD is: 520 W. Duncan Drive Bloomington, IN 47403.

When Habitat for Humanity builds a home, the owners pay a mortgage that funds another home until eventually they build a commUNITY. There is a limit to how many people can build a Habitat house, but there is no limit to how many people can contribute to the building.

The Bahá’í Faith of Bloomington, Congregation Beth Shalom, First Christian Church, First Presbyterian Church, First United Church, the IU Interfaith Coalition (Muslim Student Association, Christian Student Fellowship, UKirk, Hillel, Project IMPACT, and Indian Student Association), St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, St. Paul’s Catholic Center and Unitarian Universalist Church have all been instrumental in pulling together our UNITY Build.

Check out this link to find answers to some Frequently Asked Questions.

Read our story on Unitarian Universalist Church member and long-time Habitat supporter Barb Berggoetz here.

Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County recently won several notable awards.

For the third consecutive time, we have been recognized as an “Affiliate of Distinction” by Habitat for Humanity International. This honor places our organization in the top 1% of affiliates nationwide.

In addition, we are honored to receive the Sam Mompongo Award for $1 million in lifetime tithe contributions. Our affiliate is proud to contribute to Habitat’s global ministry by supporting the building of homes in El Salvador and Uganda.

Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County is committed to being an equal opportunity employer. Our organization’s policy is to offer equal opportunity to all qualified employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, veteran status, disability or other category protected by law. This policy is applicable to recruitment, hiring, rates of pay, job assignments, promotion, training, discipline and all other terms and conditions of employment.

Controller

Our vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. We are seeking a Controller to join our dynamic team.

What makes the Controller role at Habitat different is that she/he has the opportunity to see the tangible impact of their work in the Bloomington community around them. They work alongside a talented team of nationally recognized leaders who are each committed to a mission that has their hearts. The Controller on our Habitat team participates in the transformation of the families that we partner with, as they take the final steps out of poverty. Our affiliate builds community one home at a time.

This trusted professional is given space to personally develop the systems and teams of passionate people needed to ensure the strategic use of the funds entrusted to us. Their work directly impacts every aspect of our critical mission.

We of course offer a competitive compensation package including major medical, dental, & life insurance, 401k, paid vacations, and holidays. But, more than that, a spot on our team means that you know your work is making a difference in the lives of your neighbors.

If you are looking for an opportunity to translate your passion to a cause with significant and lasting impact in the Bloomington community, send your cover letter and resume to theodore@monroecountyhabitat.org for consideration.

MAY 17 UPDATE: Women Builders! As you know, the weather over the past couple of weeks was challenging, and required us to intentionally delay parts of our build schedule to ensure that we build to the best quality standards for our future homeowners.

So…we are excited to invite you back to build with us for WOMEN BUILD 2.0: a series of build dates next month that will help us ready the Ault and Paz families’ homes for move in!

Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program promotes the involvement of women in the construction of Habitat houses. Women Build works with affiliates to nurture, recruit and train women to build and maintain simple, decent, healthy and affordable homes.

2017 marks 17 years of building new lives for Monroe County families.

All-women volunteer teams come together to swing hammers and raise roofs, and actively work to eliminate poverty housing in Monroe County, Indiana. It takes 325 volunteer builders, about 1600 volunteer hours, and $70,000 for land and materials to complete each home. Women Build is a safe haven for women to practice and excel, no matter what their skill levels. Each builder raises funds to secure a volunteer spot for one day of the build. No experience necessary – REALLY! – and you may sign up to participate on any day you choose. Meet new people and make new friends!

For 26 years, Kerry Thomson has poured her love, passion, and talent into the mission of Habitat for Humanity. Kerry’s tireless effort and commitment to the vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live has inspired an entire community to partner with more than 184 families who now own safe, decent, and affordable homes.

In honor of this beautiful legacy of building hope in Monroe County, we are inviting those who have been touched by Kerry’s work to help us fully sponsor “The House That Kerry’s Love Built.”

Consider making a gift today!

You are invited to visit our secure fundraising page HEREor mail a payment to our office.

One June 24 we will be celebrating Kerry’s Habitat legacy. An informal program will begin at 6:00. Please Join Us!

Are you interested in working for an organization that is a leading provider of housing that is grounded in servant leadership?

Do you want to make a difference for individuals that are willing to help themselves but struggle to get started?

Are you interested in working with a high performing team of staff, board members, and volunteers?

Do you have experience networking and fundraising with multiple venues and backgrounds?

The successful candidate will be responsible for:Our dynamic organization is in its 29th year serving families and building community both locally and abroad. In addition to building homes—current construction is underway on our 180th house—we also provide educational programs that help end the cycle of poverty. HFHMC has been named an Affiliate of Distinction by Habitat for Humanity International for the sixth consecutive year, a distinction awarded to only the top 1% of affiliates nationwide. The Monroe County affiliate of Habitat has more than 3,000 volunteers and 5,000 donors annually, incredible impact for an organization of our size.

Partnering with a high functioning leadership team, the Chief Executive Officer is responsible for stewarding the vision and strategic implementation of HFHMC’s mission. She/he will share our vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live and our passion for eliminating poverty housing by providing opportunities for the entire community to share their gifts.

Our next leader is experienced in setting strategic financial direction, is a fearless critical thinker, possesses business acumen, and is a superior communicator. She/he is unflappable in a fast paced environment and values a continuous learning culture.

Successful candidates will be responsible for carrying out:

Our mission: Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.

Our vision: A world where everyone has a decent place to live.

Our principles:

Demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ.

Focus on shelter.

Advocate for affordable housing.

Promote dignity and hope.

Support sustainable and transformative development.

Who we are:

Habitat for Humanity partners with people in your community, and all over the world, to help them build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. With your support, Habitat homeowners achieve the strength, stability and independence they need to build a better life for themselves and for their families. Through our 2020 Strategic Plan, Habitat for Humanity will serve more people than ever before through decent and affordable housing.

Non-proselytizing policy:

Habitat for Humanity and its affiliate organizations will not proselytize. Nor will Habitat work with entities or individuals who insist on proselytizing as part of their work with Habitat. This means that Habitat will not offer assistance on the expressed or implied condition that people must adhere to or convert to a particular faith or listen and respond to messaging designed to induce conversion to a particular faith.

Qualifications for the position include:

To be qualified for the position, candidates must have a four year degree and five years minimum experience in a strategic leadership and coaching role as well as demonstrated experience with fundraising in multiple venues. To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter to careers@monroecountyhabitat.org.

Company Description:

In Monroe County, Indiana, where 1 in 5 people are living in poverty, unaffordable housing holds our community back from being a place that families can call “Home.”

Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County’s mission is to eliminate poverty housing by building simple, decent, affordable homes in partnership with qualifying families. Habitat homeowners pay interest-free, no-profit mortgages, which are used to build more Habitat houses. Because houses are principally built with volunteer labor, mortgage payments are affordable for low-income partners.

Habitat qualifying families are selected based on their need for housing, ability to repay the no-interest mortgage and willingness to partner with Habitat by earning 250 hours of “sweat equity” or volunteer time. Through the work of thousands of volunteers and partner organizations, Habitat does more than build homes. We build community.

This winter the IMU Biddle Hotel began an extensive renovation. Not only will all 189 rooms be renovated with new electric, plumbing, wallpaper and new furniture but a new roof to the hotel will also be installed. This is the biggest renovation for the hotel since 1994.

The quaint furniture, so long at home in the hotel, must be removed first. Mike Campbell, associate director of the IMU, said the furniture was “a little dated for the hotel, but still in good condition.” Realizing that trying to sell the furniture would result in more work than it was worth, the IMU decided to work with local non-profits and donate the used furniture.

The used hotel furniture became a donation to Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The donation is so large that the moving process has been broken down into five different sessions, each about two weeks apart. Allison Hess, marketing director of the regional Habitat office, said, “This is the largest donation our ReStore has ever seen.”

An earlier attempt to renovate the hotel and donate the furniture in 2015 fell through, because the process of moving the furniture out of the IMU would have been too costly. Habitat for Humanity, working with Soft Touch Moving & Storage Co., agreed to move the furniture at no cost to the IMU. “It’s a trade off,” Campbell said, “And it’s a great way to work with the community.”

The first two floors of the hotel have already been cleared of furniture, and are now being sold to people at the Habitat ReStore. Marc Papier, manager of the Monroe County Habitat ReStore, said, “The first rounds of furniture received has been really selling. People have been waiting for these donations to arrive.”

The proceeds of the furniture donated to Habitat will go towards building new houses for local families in need of shelter.

The hotel amenities donated include, but are not limited to: 178 desks with the same number of padded desk chairs, 180 framed mirrors, 116 nightstands, 96 armoires and 256 headboards.